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Granite City
Granite City is a community in the former US state of Minnesota. It is a trade and agriculture hub, as well as serving as a ‘gateway’ of sorts to the region. History 2077-2130 Saint Cloud, Minnesota, was not directly struck by any nuclear weapons during the Great War. However, it was caught up in the subsequent collapse of society and all that came with it. As the police and army struggled to maintain authority, the city instead descended into panic, with violence and looting quickly spiraling out of all control. By the time the riots burned themselves out, the army had effectively abandoned the city. Not that any of it really mattered as clouds of nuclear fallout swept across the nation. This was followed by a harsh nuclear winter that blanketed the city in snow, smothering it while cutting off those that remained. With no food left and precious little in the way of viable infrastructure, the city’s survivors fled into the surrounding countryside, hoping to find some way to stay alive. While some hardy souls stuck it out, the city was effectively dead by the start of 2078. Save for the occasional scavenger or wanderer, it would largely stay that way for the next fourty years. It was not until the harsh winter of 2129 that people began to return to the city, mostly wanderers and the like who were seeking shelters from the blanketing, driving snow. While there was some initial hostility, those in the city soon realised that they had to band together in order to survive. While rough, a community began to form in the ruins, one that would serve as a seed of what was to come. 2130-2200 By the time that spring came, the city was home to several hundred people. Now no longer concerned with simply surviving day to day, those in the ruins began to transform their makeshift community into something more solid and permanent. The city’s position on the edge of the Mississippi River presented a number of opportunities, offering them a source of water and a potential trade route (should other communities have existed along the river, something that they were still unsure about). Trade groups were sent out to make contact with nearby farming communities. Very quickly, the city found itself at the hub of a network of farms and other communities, providing a hub for trade and communication. The makeshift city council quickly gave way to a more formal elected mayor, as the population drafted a crude but functional constitution of what they called ‘Granite City’. Despite their circumstances, the population tried to form a functional democracy, with the entire population choosing a mayor from among them. After a somewhat chaotic campaign (characterised by nobody actually sure what they were doing and a lot of confusion as to what the process was), Bob Robertson, Jr, was elected as Granite City’s first mayor. Over the next few decades, Granite City continued to grow, becoming something more and more permanent than just the squatter camp it had started as. Those in the city began to spread out and re-occupy some of the remaining buildings, repairing those that were not completely ruined, often scavenging for supplies. Even then, they still occupied a relatively small part of the old city proper, focusing mostly on the riverfront; Granite City lay in the heart of a larger space which still contained more than a few hazards. After several residents and traders were attacked, the city began to organize regular patrols to sweep the ruins around Granite of hostile life. While hazardous, these patrols helped clear the trade routes that were the city’s life blood. While not enough to completely clear the ruins (they seemed to have become a haven for Feral Ghouls) these patrols did reduce the threat somewhat. They also helped to deter raiders, who had also been preying on the outlying parts of the community. By the end of the 22nd century, Granite City was relatively safe and prosperous. It was not to last. 2201-2287 While Granite City had problems with raiders in the past, those were usually small-scale, isolated incidents, and few of those had been brave enough to attack such a large community head-on. The emergence of the Decimators then came as a shock to the population. The warband was far larger than any other Raider group, and much better organized. Granite City had isolated contact with Decimator bands for several years, but it was in 2207 that the full horror of the situation came home to them. In April 2207, the Tigon warband moved on the city, beginning an aggressive campaign against its allied communities. At first, the people of Granite City thought that this was just a determined group of raiders, but that changed when the Tigon warband began to close in on the city itself. In an ambitious move, Tigon had planned to raid the city, carrying off whatever he could and putting the rest to the torch. He very nearly succeeded. The people of Granite City were not prepared for such a large and well-organized force, and were quickly driven back after suffering horrible losses. Confident, the Tigon Warband continued their advance, driving into the heart of the city proper. With their backs to the wall, the people of Granite City fought desperately to preserve their community, using whatever cover and weapons they could. At the same time, the surviving monster patrols began attacking the Tigon flanks, drawing them into a crossfire. Realising that he had over-reached, Tigon ordered his forces to fall back. Granite City had survived, but at terrible cost. Hundreds were dead, and much of the city had been damaged. In the aftermath, Mayor Karl Kaled (Who replaced Mayor Dave Ross after his death in the attack) ordered sweeping changes be made in order to prevent these events form occurring again. Under his leadership, the people of Granite City formed a standing militia to help defend against attacks. The second move was to begin consolidation and fortification of the city; the establishment of a perimeter wall on three sides, with the river on the fourth. These preparations paid off when, in 2212, the Tigon warband returned to the city, looking for a rematch. Expecting to find the same frightened people as they had encountered before, the Decimator force was instead met by a determined and well dug in resistance. After several days of butting up against their fortifications to little effect, the Tigons pulled back. While Granite would have problems with attacks from the Decimators again, none would ever come so close to taking the city proper. Most of the 23rd century was characterized by slow growth fuelled by growing trade networks; both with nearby communities and trades along the Mississippi River. The fear of the Decimators did begin to retreat into the background, especially after reports reached the city about the destruction of the Decimax warband. The city began to slowly expand its territory, allowing some settlement outside its fortified walls. The recent resurgence of the Decimators has drastically changed opinions, however. Several warbands have been openly preying on outlying communities, raising questions as to what should be done about them. Several times in recent years, Fort Frost has approached Granite City with the offer of an alliance. While Mayor Sven Gunderson has repeatedly rejected them (Due to his open dislike of Fort Frost’s leadership and policies) he is concerned that they might reach a point where such an alliance is a necessity. Description Granite City is roughly rectangular in shape, built over a portion of the former Saint Cloud. The city is bordered on the west by the Mississippi river, with walls built around the remaining three sides. Most of the city’s population are located inside the walls, but the city maintains extensive trade links with external communities, particularly farms. The riverside facing of the city includes docking facilities for large vessels, aiding trade with other communities along the length of the river. Many of the buildings in Granite City are pre-war ones that survived and have been restored to varying degrees. While some are in good condition, others are run down and clearly fielding makeshift repairs. Newer buildings have been constructed over the ruins of those that completely collapsed, but their quality can vary wildly depending on the materials used. The result is something of a mish-mash of architectural styles, going from 19th-century grandeur to 21st-century Futurism and post-war hovels. Government The mayor of Granite City is elected by the population; any permanent resident of the city aged eighteen or over is entitled to vote. The mayor serves a four-year term, and can theoretically run for an unlimited number of terms. The mayor governs through a city council who advise on various matters such as the economy, trade, defense, infrastructure and so on. So far the city has resisted the formation of political parties, with most mayors being elected as individuals based on their policy stance. The current mayor is Sven Gunderson, the descendant of some of the city’s earliest founders. Sven is a popular mayor, based on his folksy, approachable style; he likes to casually stroll the streets and speak to the people on an informal, casual basis. However, his demeanor should not be taken as a sign of weakness or being soft. Sven served as a part of the Granite City Militia, and fought in several battles before he went into politics. While still in his first term, Sven is expected to run again in 2288 and be re-elected. Law and order Granite City is protected by the Granite City Militia, a self-defense force first raised in 2007 following the city’s near-destruction at the hands of the Tigon Warband. The militia are dedicated, full-time soldiers who recruit from the local population and are led by a commander promoted from within their ranks. The commander, in turn, is a part of the city council and answers directly to the mayor. The militia have a strong sense of community and responsibility, driven by the knowledge that those they protect are not just their community, but also their friends and families. This also leads to a sense of camaraderie among their members, as they look out for each other, leading to bonds that extend well beyond the militia itself. This does have one downside, however. While outsiders such as mercenaries and drivers are able to join the militia, they rarely go far or reach a significant rank. In addition to defending the city, the Militia also help maintain order by acting as police. Granite City’s criminal justice system is relatively simple, and most punishments consist of either a fine, a stay in a holding cell or some sort of civic duty. Punishment for more severe crimes such as assault or murder usually amounts to exile from the city. Much of the equipment used by the Militia is simple, functional technology that has been scavenged from the ruins or bought from traders. Most of their personnel are armed with hunting rifles and shotguns, although the occasional automatic weapon can be found among their ranks. This is not the limit of their capabilities, however; their armory includes a small stash of heavy weapons and body armor to be used in emergency situations. Likewise, the militia has a handful of robots that can be used to supplement their forces if needed. The current leader of the Militia is Margie Miller, a hard-faced veteran of twenty years active service. She is known for being a crack-shot, her determination in the face of danger and baking delicious cookies. Points of Interest City Hall The Granite City Hall is a restored 19th Century building that partially survived the great war. Much of its west wing collapsed, and has been left as an empty shell since. The rest of the building is used as the seat of the city’s government and the location of the bulk of its operations (Housing, civic works, trade and so on). The building’s interior manages to maintain some of its original grandeur, but many of its murals and decorative features are faded, battered or have been repaired as best as possible. Granite City Militia Headquarters Formerly a police station, the Granite City Militia converted the building for their own use. Like the city hall, it survived mostly intact, and has undergone numerous repairs and renovations since then. The building houses not only the militia command and operations, but also their secure armory and lock-up facilities. Only relatively few of its personnel are permanently stationed there, however; most either live with their families in the city, or are housed at a nearby bunkhouse. Granite City Theater Another restored 19th Century building, the theater serves as a combination of meeting hall, auditorium and performance space. In addition, it has served a number of irregular functions, such as a refuge during attacks, the city’s only polling booth, a recruitment station and so on. It is currently home the only theater company in Granite City (and possibly all of Minnesota). Radio WGCR Granite City’s only radio station is housed in a repaired 21st-century radio studio which was originally a part of GNN. Only some of the transmission and broadcasting equipment could be salvaged, drastically reducing the station’s range. None the less, WGCR’s small staff provide entertainment and news for the city. Much of their broadcast day consists of holotapes of pre-war music and Radio Plays. Criswell’s Robotics Housed in a former Red Rocket service station, Criswell’s Robotics is a small business that repairs and maintains robots and other high-tech devices. Criswell has a standing contract with the militia to support their robots. Martha’s Flophouse An old office building located right up against the wall, Martha’s Flophouse has been crudely sub-divided up into a number of small rooms. Utterly lacking in charm, décor or comfort, the flophouse caters to transients, drifters, mercenaries or those passing through the town. It’s being next door to Stan’s Place, the cheapest bar in the city, probably is not a coincidence. Category:Communities Category:Places